Volume 2. No 1 
Information Technology News of the University of California, Davis October 1993
The Copyright Quiz
[The following quiz on computer software copyright issues
originally appeared in the September 1992 issue of ONLINE
(Volume 21, Number 1), published by Computer Services of
Memphis State University. It is reprinted with permission of
editor Allecia Powell, and edited slightly to meet IT Times style
conventions. The University of California does not guarantee the
accuracy of the information provided below.]
Whether we are aware of it or not, each of us deals with
copyright law on a daily basis, but how much do we really know
about it? Take this quiz to determine how much you know about
copyright law:
- You go into your local grocery store and buy a copy of your
favorite computer magazine. The magazine's feature story includes
a listing for a great game called "Bubba, King of Nerd World,"
one of those programs that you must type into your computer
yourself in order to run it. You get the game all typed in, and
you play it for a while, and you begin to realize that "Bubba,
King of the Nerd World" will revolutionize the world of computer
games as we know it. You would like to share it with all your
friends. Can you legally copy the program to diskettes and give
copies to all your friends? After all, you did type the game into
your computer yourself.
- You are creating a booklet about page layout and design to
be given out on campus. You're really fond of PageMaker's opening
screen -- the Latin phrases that appear on it would be just
perfect for a college publication. You decide to copy the opening
screen and use it on the cover of your booklet. Can you do
this?
- You are a Windows user, and you enjoy looking at the many
different geometrical patterns created by the Mystify screen
saver in Windows 3.1. One day as you are looking at it, an
especially beautiful pattern is created. It's so beautiful that
you decide to take a "snapshot" of it by pressing the print
screen key and then saving the pattern to a file. You decide to
use the design on a poster you are creating about computer
graphics. Can you do this?
- You are a computer programmer, and you are working on the
program of your life, a program that will revolutionize the way
that accountants and other business professionals do their work
for all time. In order to have the peace and quiet you need to
complete your program, you move to a remote island in the Pacific
Ocean. You stay there the entire ten years it takes to complete
the program, shut off completely from the outside. The result,
unbeknownst you: a program that is absolutely identical to the
most current version of a program called Lotus 1-2-3. You hurry
back to the states to market and sell your new software product,
expecting to make a big pile of cabbage from this new idea. After
you sell about 10,000 copies of your new product, a deputy
sheriff knocks on your door at 4.00 a.m. to deliver a summons to
appear in court and answer allegations that you have illegally
copied and distributed Lotus 1-2-3. Will Lotus Corporation win
the lawsuit?
- You own a successful software store. You have been noticing
lately that quite a few of your customers have been needing
certain software packages for only one specific project. When the
project is finished, they no longer need the package but are
stuck because they purchased it. Every time they come to your
store, they complain about it, So you start thinking: why not
rent copies of certain software packages to the customers instead
of having them buy them? After all, video and audio tapes are
rented all the time. Can you do this?
Quiz Answers